Written by the Progyny Editorial Team. Reviewed by the Progyny Clinical Team \u2014 November 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With gestational diabetes, your number one goal is to keep your blood sugar within your target range. But, how do you know if you\u2019re meeting this goal?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The key is blood sugar monitoring<\/strong> (also called blood glucose monitoring). With this, you\u2019ll use a blood glucose meter to check your blood sugar at different times of the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A blood glucose meter is a small device that lets you measure your blood sugar anytime, anywhere. Your results will help you learn what affects your blood sugar, helping you make changes to your everyday routines to reach your blood sugar goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Blood sugar monitoring lets you know what your blood sugar is at a point in time. It also helps you:<\/p>\n\n\n\n You might be surprised to learn how many things can affect blood sugar. And when you track your blood sugar results over time, you can identify the factors that have the biggest effect for you. That knowledge will be so helpful in reaching your blood sugar goals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n High blood sugar may be caused by several things you CAN control. For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, your blood sugar may also go up because of things you can NOT control, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you notice that any of these affects your blood sugar, please talk with your doctor to come up with a plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your blood sugar may drop too low because of factors like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Everyone is different\u2014you might notice some of these affect you, and others don\u2019t. Be sure to talk with your doctor or diabetes educator if you have questions about what might be making your blood sugar levels go up or down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you haven\u2019t already, confirm with your care team what your target levels are and when to check your blood sugar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends that most people with gestational diabetes check blood sugar 4 times a day<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The ADA recommends these blood sugar targets for many people. Be sure to find out what\u2019s recommended for you, since your goals may be different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some people may use a device called a continuous glucose monitor, a wearable device that measures blood sugar throughout the day and night. If you have one, talk with your doctor about what to expect and how to use it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Knowing what affects your blood sugar can help you come up with a plan to manage it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your numbers are out-of-range, review the factors that raise or lower blood sugar. Could any of them be the cause for you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n To find patterns over time, try logging your meals, exercise, medicine, and anything else that might be affecting you. Review this with your doctor or diabetes educator at your next visit.<\/p>\n\n\n To learn how different foods change your blood sugar, look at your blood sugar reading 1 to 2 hours after a meal to see if it\u2019s in-range or out-of-range. This will tell you if you ate the right amount of carbohydrates at that meal.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s an example:<\/p>\n Since the blood sugar after breakfast is too high, this means the amount of carbohydrates (65 g) was too much and led to a high blood sugar reading after the meal. This person should eat fewer carbohydrates at their next meal and check their blood sugar 1 to 2 hours afterwards to see if that change helped them reach their goal.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n <\/div>\n To learn how exercise can change your blood sugar, check your blood sugar before and after physical activity.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s an example:<\/p>\n Imagine someone notices their blood sugar is still high 1 hour after lunch. The next day, they might take a 1-hour walk after eating to see if it lowers their blood sugar.<\/p>\n The blood sugar before the walk is high, but the blood sugar after the walk is on target. This means that the 1-hour walk was effective in lowering blood sugar \u2014 by 30 blood sugar points!<\/p>\n This can be powerful information if you want to lower your blood sugar with a walk or other exercise in the future. However, if you\u2019re also taking diabetes medicine (like insulin), it is possible to lower your blood sugar too much<\/strong> with exercise, resulting in low blood sugar. Knowing how much an activity lowers your blood sugar can help you avoid this.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\nBenefits of blood sugar monitoring<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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What affects your blood sugar?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
High blood sugar<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Low blood sugar<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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When should I check my blood sugar?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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When<\/strong><\/th> Target<\/strong> (not treated with insulin)<\/strong><\/th> Target (treated with insulin)<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead> Fasting and before meals<\/td> Below 95 mg\/dL<\/td> 70 to 95 mg\/dL<\/td><\/tr> 1 hour after meals<\/td> Below 140 mg\/dL<\/td> 110 to 140 mg\/dL<\/td><\/tr> 2 hours after meals<\/td> Below 120 mg\/dL<\/td> 100 to 120 mg\/dL<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Putting your results into action <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Example: How food affects blood sugar<\/span><\/h3>\n
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\n What<\/strong><\/td>\n Time<\/strong><\/td>\n Result<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n\n \n Fasting blood sugar check<\/td>\n 7:30 am<\/td>\n 86 mg\/dL<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Breakfast \u2013 65 g carbs<\/td>\n 7:30 am<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n After-meal blood sugar check<\/td>\n 9:30 am<\/td>\n 147 mg\/dL<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n Example: How exercise affects blood sugar<\/span><\/h3>\n
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\n What<\/strong><\/td>\n Time<\/strong><\/td>\n Result<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n\n \n Before-exercise blood sugar check<\/td>\n 1:00 pm<\/td>\n 142 mg\/dL<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Walk (1 hour)<\/td>\n 1:00 pm<\/a><\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n After-exercise blood sugar check<\/td>\n 2:00 pm<\/td>\n 112 mg\/dL<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n